Permission granted from BCIT

Writing
Learning
Outcomes
This job aid is designed to help you to write learning outcomes for your courses.
After using this job aid, you should be able to:

define learning outcomes

define the categories (domains) of learning outcomes

identify the levels within these categories

describe the relationship between program goals and learning outcomes

discuss the preferred number of learning outcomes for a course

use the checklist to write better learning outcomes.

®
Telephone: (604) 432-8406
LEARNING RESOURCES UNIT
Fax: (604) 431-7267
3700 Willingdon Avenue, Burnaby, BC, V5G 3H2
Web site: http://www.lru.bcit.ca
Write Learning Outcomes

What are learning outcomes?

Learning outcomes specify what learners’ new behaviours will be after a learning experience.
They state the knowledge, skills, and attitudes that the students will gain through your course.
Learning outcomes begin with an action verb and describe something observable or
measurable.

Examples
At the end of this course you will be able to:
1. Use change theory to develop family-centred care within the context of nursing practice.
2. Design improved bias circuits using negative feedback.
3. Demonstrate the safe use of welding equipment.

Learning outcomes often represent discrete units of instruction in a course but each may have
several sub-outcomes. Learning outcomes need not be attained by specific instruction in a
lesson—they may be woven throughout the course. For example, they may include such things
as use problem solving techniques or work effectively in teams.

Why are learning outcomes important?

Learning outcomes are the most important section of your course outline—the essence of your
course. They are essential because they:
• define the type and depth of learning students are expected to achieve
• provide an objective benchmark for formative, summative, and prior learning assessment
• clearly communicate expectations to learners
• clearly communicate graduates’ skills to prospective employers*
• define coherent units of learning that can be further subdivided or modularized for
classroom or for other delivery modes.
• guide and organize the instructor and the learner.
*By reading your listed learning outcomes, an employer or professional in the field should be
able to identify what knowledge, skills, and attitudes your students will be able to offer them
after taking your course.

Program aim and goals

How do learning outcomes fit into
program goals?
Learning outcomes for a course should Course goals

fit within the overall course and program goals.

This chart shows how they relate. Learning outcomes
(Competencies)

Sub-outcomes
(Learning Tasks)

2 • Instructional Job Aid

 Write Learning Outcomes

How many learning outcomes should there be?

There should be as many outcomes as needed to clearly reflect what the students will gain from
your course. Follow these rough guidelines when deciding how many you need:
• Each major topic in the course should have one to three learning outcomes.
• Each 45-hour or three-credit course should have between five and 12 learning outcomes.
When you are writing the outcomes, you will use only one action verb per outcome. For
example, you would use two learning outcome statements for designing and testing a circuit:
1. Design improved bias circuits using negative feedback.
2. Test bias circuits using negative feedback.

Sub-outcomes
Each learning outcome may be made more explicit by using several sub-outcomes.
For example:
Learning Outcome 1: Study productively to meet learning goals.
Sub-outcome 1.1: Identify effective generic and personal study habits.
Sub-outcome 1.2: Describe self-motivation strategies.
Sub-outcome 1.3: Select appropriate study techniques to match your personal style
and material.

Learning Outcome 2: Manage stress constructively.

Sub-outcome 2.1: Identify potential sources of stress.
Sub-outcome 2.2: Predict generic and personal stress patterns.
Sub-outcome 2.3: Select appropriate stress management techniques to prevent or
control stress.
Sub-outcome 2.4: Create a personal stress management plan.

Learning Outcome 3: Install electrical wiring safely.

Sub-outcome 3.1: Identify relevant sections of the Canadian Electrical Code.
Sub-outcome 3.2: Describe electrical hazards.
Sub-outcome 3.3: Select appropriate tools and materials.
Sub-outcome 3.4: Identify safety rules about wiring on the job site.
Sub-outcome 3.5: Apply safety rules as you wire a circuit.

Instructional Job Aid • 3

Write Learning Outcomes

Classifying learning outcomes

When specifying learning outcomes, think about what you want students to be able to do on
the job as a result of their learning. These things fall into three possible categories (domains):
• thinking, knowledge (cognitive domain)
• doing, skills (psychomotor domain)
• feeling, attitudes (affective domain)
Of course, some units of learning may occur in more than one domain at the same time.
Each of these categories has different possible levels of learning. These range from simple
recall or observation to the complex evaluation or organization of information.

Choosing appropriate action verbs

The charts on pages 5 to 7 show samples of the action verbs you could use for learning
outcomes in each of these categories and levels. Make sure that the verbs you choose match the
level of learning you require. Notice that the action verbs listed represent measurable or
observable behaviours.
Vague verbs such as know or understand are not easily measurable. Substitute, identify,
define, describe, or demonstrate. Some subjective terms such as appreciate and be aware of
may sometimes be used for outcomes in the affective domain.
As you construct your learning outcomes, use the checklist on the back of this job aid. It will
remind you of all the important points about learning outcomes.

4 • Instructional Job Aid

 Cognitive Domain
(thinking, knowledge)
Evaluation
Definition:
Judges the value of
Synthesis material for a given
Definition: purpose.
Formulates new
Analysis structures from existing
knowledge and skills.
Sample Verbs:
Definition: • assess
Understands both the • conclude
Application content and structure of Sample Verbs: • evaluate
material. • interpret
Definition: • combine
• justify
Uses learning in new • construct
Comprehension • design
• select
and concrete situations • support
Sample Verbs: • develop
Definition: (higher level of
• analyze • generate
understanding).
Grasps the meaning of • categorize • plan
Knowledge material • compare • propose
(lowest level of • contrast
Definition: understanding). Sample Verbs:
• differentiate
Remembers • apply • discriminate
previously learned • carry out • outline
material. • demonstrate
Sample Verbs:
• illustrate
• describe

Write Learning Outcomes

• prepare
• discuss
Sample Verbs: • solve
• explain • use
• define • locate
• identify
Instructional Job Aid

• paraphrase
• label • give example
• list • translate
• name
• recall
• state
• 5

Based on "Taxonomy of Educational Objectives", B.S. Bloom Editor. 1956

6 •

Write Learning Outcomes

Psychomotor Domain
Instructional Job Aid

(doing, skills)
Organization

Adaption Definition:
Creates new
Complete Overt Definition: patterns for specific
situations.
Response Adapts skill sets to
meet a problem
Mechanism situation.
Definition: Sample Verbs:
Performs • designs
Guided Response Definition: automatically.
Performs acts with Sample Verbs: • originates
increasing • adapts • combines
Set Definition: efficiency, • reorganizes • composes
Imitates and confidence, and Sample Verbs: • alters • constructs
Perception Definition: practices skills, proficiency. • act habitually • revises
Is mentally, often in discrete • advance with • changes
Definition: emotionally, and steps. assurance
physically ready to Sample Verbs: • control
Senses cues that
act. • direct
guide motor activity. • complete with
Sample Verbs: • excel
confidence • guide
• copy • conduct
Sample Verbs: • maintain efficiency
Sample Verbs: • duplicate • demonstrate
• achieve a posture • manage
• imitate • execute
• detect • assume a body • master
• manipulate with • improve efficiency
• hear stance • organize
• listen guidance • increase speed
• establish a body • perfect
• observe • operate under • make
position • perform
supervision • pace
• perceive • place hands, arms, automatically
• practice • produce
• recognize etc. • proceed
• see • repeat • show dexterity
• position the body • try
• sense • sit
• smell • stand
• taste • station
• view
• watch

Based on "Taxonomy of Educational Objectives", B.S. Bloom Editor. 1956

 Affective Domain
(feeling, attitudes)

Internalizing
Definition:
Integrates the value into
Organization a value system that
controls behavior.
Definition:
Conceptualizes the
Valuing value and resolves
Sample Verbs:
conflict between it and • act upon
Definition: • advocate
other values.
Responding Attaches value or worth • defend
to something. • exemplify
Sample Verbs: • influence
Definition:
Sample Verbs: • adapt • justify behavior
Responds to stimuli. • adjust
Receiving • adopt • maintain
• arrange • serve
Sample Verbs: • assume responsibility
Definition • balance • support
• behave according to
Selectively attends • agree to • classify
• answer freely • choose
to stimuli. • conceptualize
• assist • commit
• formulate
• care for • desire • group
Sample Verbs: • communicate • exhibit loyalty
• comply • organize

Write Learning Outcomes

• accept • express • rank
• conform
• acknowledge • consent • initiate • theorize
• be aware • contribute • prefer
• cooperate • seek
Instructional Job Aid

• listen
• follow • show concern
• notice • obey
• pay attention • show continual
• participate willingly
• tolerate • read voluntarily desire to
• respond • use resources to
• visit
• volunteer
• 7

Based on "Taxonomy of Educational Objectives", B.S. Bloom Editor. 1956

Checklist for writing learning outcomes
Use the following checklist to help you as you write learning outcomes.

When writing learning outcomes, I need to:

1. Focus on outcomes, not processes ...................................................... !
2. Start each outcome with an action verb. ............................................... !
3. Use only one action verb per learning outcome .................................... !
4. Avoid vague verbs such as know and understand. ............................... !
5. Check that the verbs used reflect the level of learning required. ........... !
6. Ensure that outcomes are observable and measurable. ....................... !
7. Write the outcomes in terms of what the learner does, not
what the instructor does. ..................................................................... !
8. Check that the outcomes reflect knowledge, skills, or
attitudes required in the workplace. .................................................... !
9. Include outcomes that are woven into the entire course
(such as work effectively in teams). .................................................... !
10. Check that there are the appropriate number of outcomes
(no more than three per major topic) ................................................... !
11. List the sub-outcomes for each outcome ............................................ !
12. Check that the outcomes fit within program and course goals ........... !

©1996, revised 2003 Learning Resources Unit • British Columbia Institute of Technology
Burnaby, British Columbia, Canada
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced in any form or by any means without the prior written permission of
the Learning Resources Unit, British Columbia Institute of Technology.